Status: 05/29/2022 09:10 a.m
Northeast Brazil has been suffering from heavy rain for days. According to local authorities, more than 30 people have died from landslides and flooding. Experts warned that the situation could get worse.
Landslides have killed more than 30 people in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. This was announced by the authorities in the northeastern state. More than 1,000 people had to leave their homes because of the floods in Pernambuco, the civil defense said. Leonardo Rodrigues from Civil Protection said in a video published on Instagram that around 32,000 families live in the state in areas at risk of landslides or floods. In the capital, Recife, schools have been opened to take in the homeless.
In the state of Alagoas, which borders Pernambuco, two people died after being swept away by torrents of water when a river burst its banks on Friday. The government there said that 33 communities had declared a state of emergency due to heavy rainfall in the past few days. President Jair Bolsonaro announced that he would send the army and officials from the Ministry of Regional Development to the northeast to support the aid workers.
Hundreds of deaths in the last few months
The metropolitan region of Recife has been hit by heavy rains since Tuesday. According to civil protection, five people died as a result of the storm a few days ago. Flooded streets in various locations, collapsed buildings and masses of earth could be seen in videos published on online networks. The National Meteorological Institute said Pernambuco remains on red alert for landslide and flood risk.
The Pernambuco Water and Climate Authority also warned yesterday that the situation could get worse as the rain will continue for the next 24 hours. Hundreds of people have died in landslides and floods in Brazil in recent months. In February, more than 230 residents died in the city of Petropolis in the state of Rio de Janeiro alone.
Risk of extreme rain increases
According to experts, rainfall in Brazil is currently being exacerbated by the La Niña climate phenomenon, which is causing the Pacific Ocean to cool down. But climate change is also increasing the risk of severe weather. Because a warmer atmosphere can hold more water, global warming increases the risk of extreme rainfall.